Statistical Analysis with R

Starting

John M. QuickOctober 2010

This guide uses an inventive role-playing approach to teaching the most effective data analysis techniques using R. Entertaining and involving, it comes with examples, screenshots, and code for fast learning.

$26.99

$44.99

RRP $26.99

RRP $44.99

eBook

Print + eBook

Want this title & more?

$16.99 p/month

Subscribe to PacktLib

Enjoy full and instant access to over 2000 books and videos – you’ll find everything you need to stay ahead of the curve and make sure you can always get the job done.

Book Details

ISBN 139781849512084

Paperback300 pages

About This Book

An easy introduction for people who are new to R, with plenty of strong examples for you to work through

This book will take you on a journey to learn R as the strategist for an ancient Chinese kingdom!

A step by step guide to understand R, its benefits, and how to use it to maximize the impact of your data analysis

A practical guide to conduct and communicate your data analysis with R in the most effective manner

Who This Book Is For

If you are a data analyst, business or information technology professional, student, educator, researcher, or anyone else who wants to learn to analyze the data effectively then this book is for you.

No prior experience with R is necessary. Knowledge of other programming languages, software packages, or statistics may be helpful, but is not required.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Uncovering the Strategist's Data Analysis Tool

What is R?

What are the benefits of using R?

Why should I use R?

Why should I read this book?

What topics are covered in this book?

Summary

Chapter 2: Preparing R for Battle

Time for action – downloading and installing R

Time for action – issuing your first R command

Time for action – setting your R working directory

Summary

Chapter 3: Exploring the Mysterious Data Analysis Tool

Deciphering Zhuge Liang's magic square

Time for action – solving the first 4x4 magic square

Summary

Chapter 4: Collecting and Organizing Information

Time for action – importing external data

Time for action – creating and calling variables

Time for action – accessing data within variables

Time for action – manipulating variable data

Time for action – managing the R workspace

Summary

Chapter 5: Assessing the Situation

Time for action – making an initial inference from our data

Examining our data

Time for action – creating a subset from a large dataset

Time for action – deriving summary statistics

Time for action – quantifying categorical variables

Time for action – correlating variables

Regression

Time for action – modelling with simple linear regression

Time for action – modelling with multiple linear regression

Time for action – modelling interactions

Time for action – comparing and choosing models

Summary

Chapter 6: Planning the Attack

Review of models

Predicting outcomes using regression models

Time for action – calculating outcomes from regression models

Time for action – creating custom functions

Time for action – creating resource-focused custom functions

Logistical considerations

Time for action – incorporating resource constraints into predictions

Assessing viability

Time for action – assessing the viability of potential strategies

Summary

Chapter 7: Organizing the Battle Plans

Retracing and refining a complete analysis

Time for action – first steps

Time for action – data setup

Time for action – data exploration

Time for action – model development

Time for action – model deployment

Time for action – last steps

The common steps to all R analyses

Summary

Chapter 8: Briefing the Emperor

Charts, graphs, and plots in R

Time for action – creating a bar chart

Time for action – customizing graphics

Time for action – creating a scatterplot

Time for action – creating a line chart

Time for action – creating a box plot

Time for action – creating a histogram

Time for action – creating a pie chart

Time for action – exporting graphics

Summary

Chapter 9: Briefing the Generals

More charts, graphs, and plots in R

Time for action – customizing a bar chart

Time for action – customizing a scatterplot

Time for action – customizing a line chart

Time for action – customizing a box plot

Time for action – customizing a histogram

Time for action – customizing a pie chart

Time for action – building a graphic

Time for action – building a graphic with multiple visuals

Summary

Chapter 10: Becoming a Master Strategist

R's built-in resources

Time for action – using R's help function

Time for action – expanding R with packages

R's online resources

Summary

What You Will Learn

Conduct superior data analysis in R

Organize and communicate data analysis

Generate, customize, and export detailed charts, plots, and graphs

Build your own custom data visualizations

Program in the R language

Create your own custom functions

Extend the functionality of R via external packages

Manage the R workspace and console

Import external data into R

Manipulate data using variables

Execute a wide array of multi-argument and variable-argument functions

Develop and employ predictive regression models

Assess the practical and statistical significance of predictions

Understand R, its benefits, and how to use it to maximize the impact of your data analyses

In Detail

R is a data analysis tool, graphical environment, and programming language. Without any prior experience in programming or statistical software, this book will help you quickly become a knowledgeable user of R. Now is the time to take control of your data and start producing superior statistical analysis with R.

This book will take you on a journey as the strategist for an ancient Chinese kingdom. Along the way, you will learn how to use R to arrive at practical solutions and how to effectively communicate your results. Ultimately, the fate of the kingdom depends on your ability to make informed, data-driven decisions with R.

You have unexpectedly been thrust into the role of lead strategist for the kingdom. After you install your predecessor's mysterious data analysis tool, you will begin to explore its fundamental elements. Next, you will use R to import and organize your data. Then, you will use functions and statistical analysis to arrive at potential courses of action. Subsequently, you will design your own functions to assess the practical impacts of your predictions. Lastly, you will focus on communicating your results through the use of charts, plots, graphs, and custom built visualizations. The fate of the kingdom is in your hands. Your rapid development as a master R strategist is the key to future success.

Authors

John M. Quick

He is an Educational Technology doctoral student at Arizona State University who is interested in the design, research, and use of educational innovations. Currently, his work focuses on mobile, game-based, and global learning, interactive mixed-reality systems, and innovation adoption. John's blog, which provides articles, tutorials, reviews, perspectives, and news relevant to technology and education, is available from http://www.johnmquick.com. In his spare time, John enjoys photography, nature, and travel.

Alerts & Offers

Series & Level

We understand your time is important. Uniquely amongst the major publishers, we seek to develop and publish the broadest range of learning and information products on each technology. Every Packt product delivers a specific learning pathway, broadly defined by the Series type. This structured approach enables you to select the pathway which best suits your knowledge level, learning style and task objectives.

Learning

As a new user, these step-by-step tutorial guides will give you all the practical skills necessary to become competent and efficient.

Beginner's Guide

Friendly, informal tutorials that provide a practical introduction using examples, activities, and challenges.

Essentials

Fast paced, concentrated introductions showing the quickest way to put the tool to work in the real world.

Cookbook

A collection of practical self-contained recipes that all users of the technology will find useful for building more powerful and reliable systems.

Blueprints

Guides you through the most common types of project you'll encounter, giving you end-to-end guidance on how to build your specific solution quickly and reliably.

Mastering

Take your skills to the next level with advanced tutorials that will give you confidence to master the tool's most powerful features.

Starting

Accessible to readers adopting the topic, these titles get you into the tool or technology so that you can become an effective user.

Progressing

Building on core skills you already have, these titles share solutions and expertise so you become a highly productive power user.